Restless Dreamer
by BlueBastard
Summary: Kaiden is plagued by the same dream. Wandering the ship at night, he realizes he must find a different alternative when he keeps bumping into the object of them. Not to mention the other man is undeniably amused by it all. Kaiden/Shepard.Male/Male.SLASH
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect

-o-o-o-

Kaiden couldn't sleep. It was that same image over and over again. That same dream. This was worse than those damn migraines he got all the time. The soldier screwed his eyes shut as if it would drive the pictures out of his head.

Realizing it was a lost cause, and that he definitely did NOT want to sleep, EVER again, Kaiden got out of bed. The ship's internal clock read between too late at night to too early in the morning. Grimacing, the ebony haired lieutenant made his way out of his cabin to the mess hall. He felt like a zombie on his feet, shuffling his way down the elevator and towards the coffee dispenser.

Even the immediate beep of the brown liquid materializing in the pot, as if out of nowhere, took too long for the man. He did not want to run into anyone else while he was out here. Especially the one who's face he kept dreaming about. Whose body he kept imagining holding him down. Caressing him.

…Fucking him.

His hand holding the cup trembled slightly, and he brought it to his lips, hoping the hot, bitter liquid would wash away the troubling dream. Hopefully taking whatever feelings chained with it down to the endless depths of his mind. He could NOT have this screwing with their mission. Not to mention he would never do anything to break the precious bond they had formed through all the blood-pulsing battles and close calls.

"Trouble sleeping?" A deep, rough voice asked sternly from behind him.

Kaiden choked on his drink, quickly setting the cup down on the table before it could end up broken on the floor. Apparently, however, he had placed it too fast with a little too much force, hot brown liquid splashing over the brim to spot the flat surface. The lieutenant was almost too afraid to turn around. He had faced deadly enemies, horrible ghouls, and terrible Thresher Maws. Yet none of them inspired the same amount of gut-wrenching worry as the man standing behind him right then.

Swallowing harshly to dispel the lump in his throat, Kaiden blinked as he turned slowly to address the other. His perceptive brown eyes took in the shock of blond hair and the deep set violet eyes, "…Commander."

The man's muscled arms rippled as he crossed them over his broad chest, a rare smirk adorning one side of his mouth, "Why do you always sound like I'm gonna court-martial you for breathing wrong?"

"I… just have a lot on my mind." The lieutenant mumbled apologetically, rubbing the back of his neck.

He set himself to the task of cleaning up the spill, doing everything he could to avoid eye contact with the one man he sorely wished wasn't standing in the same room with him right now.

"What could possibly keep you up so late?" Shepard wondered gruffly aloud. Though, somehow, the man made it sound like an order rather than an inquiry. It was a talent.

Kaiden paused in his search for a decent towel to clean up with. His eyes sought and found the Commander's lighter orbs before he muttered absentmindedly, "Dreams…"

Cursing himself a second later, Kaiden rushed to get back to the task at hand, tearing his gaze away from those purple orbs with more difficulty than he thought possible. The Commander, on the other hand, frowned slightly. The answer had sounded cryptic. As if there were more to it than his lieutenant was letting on.

The lieutenant was so focused on searching while simultaneously ignoring Shepard, that he immediately tensed when a hand fell on his shoulder.

"Care to tell me about them?" Shepard asked, hand outstretched before the other.

It took Kaiden a few seconds too long to realize the Commander was holding out the towel he had been desperately searching for. The lieutenant had been too busy attempting to force himself to swallow throat that had remained strangely dry.

Choosing not to answer, the lieutenant merely nodded his thanks for the piece of clothe as he hurriedly cleaned up his mess. He ignored the raised brow of his Commander beside him, the man probably wondering what Kaiden's deal was. Convincing himself that he was definitely NOT running away, the lieutenant tossed the towel into the hamper as he picked up his coffee and tossed a wary glance at the silent man before him.

"Lieutenant…?" The Commander let the word hang in the gap between them, eyebrow still raised at Kaiden's strange behavior.

"I've… got to go." Kaiden replied slowly. He paused after the statement, lips parted as if he wanted to say something more. But without another word, he simply pivoted and walked out of the room.

Shepard was just left to watch the other go, confusion and worry combining in the echoes of the man's footsteps.

-o-o-o-

The next night the raven-haired man awoke drenched in sweat. It was the same again! Did he ever get a break? As if it wasn't enough that he couldn't keep his distance when they went out on missions. Who else could watch the Commander's back better than the lieutenant, after all? But he couldn't even get away from the man in his dreams.

Getting his breathing under control, Kaiden got silently out of bed and paused in the corridors. Feeling like a burglar planning to raid the ship, the man stealthily observed the empty halls. He didn't want to bump into the Commander again, after all. For some reason, whatever brought the dreams managed to bring with it a large dose of guilt. He couldn't control it. So why should he be ashamed?

All the same, the lieutenant would prefer if he didn't bump into the man during after hours. Strangely, it brought along with it a sort of intimacy that Kaiden just did not want to think about right now.

He had just made it to the dimmed lights of the kitchen, about to let out a sigh of relief, when the lights brightened an instant later. A gruff, clearing throat sound brought Kaiden's attention to the corner of the room. There, leaning nonchalantly against the wall as if standing there at odd hours at the night was completely normal, was the Commander.

"Lieutenant." He greeted, amusement dancing in those normally stoic eyes.

Caught, Kaiden couldn't help the flush that crept up from his neck, heating his face.

Thinking of the first excuse that came to his mind, the lieutenant mumbled, "Sorry. Sleep walking."

That said, Kaiden did an about-face and walked right out. He did not catch the inquisitive smirk that appeared slowly on his Commander's face.

-o-o-o-

From then on, Kaiden spent his restless nights in his own cabin, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. What was he doing? This was his space craft as well. He couldn't let a few twisted-

-yet extremely hot-

-dreams confine him to his own quarters like a criminal. Not to mention he must be confusing the hell out of the Commander, a man he would trust with his own life without batting an eye.

Even his close confidant, Joker, had been commenting on his weird actions as of late. Of course, the dreams weren't something he chose to share with the pilot, but that didn't mean he could stop them from expressing themselves visually through his own traitorous limbs. Kaiden couldn't even be in the same room for more than a second with the Commander before stiffening, making some lame excuse, and bolting.

Gritting his teeth, Kaiden forced himself back into the tangled sheets, shutting his eyes as he looked forward to the prospect of sleepless hours ahead.

-o-o-o-

"What is UP with you lately, man?" Joker asked for the millionth time that day, fingers flying across the console before him.

"Nothing." The lieutenant replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"You've been acting light a freakin' ghost lately." The Joker said, serious for once. He turned to fix a questioning look at the man standing beside him, his next tone mocking, "You don't even take the time to warm up milk and some cookies while you visit anymore."

"We both know you don't need the extra sugar." Kaiden smirked.

Too late, the lieutenant recognized the silent, booted tread of the man who was suddenly behind him. The hairs on the back of his neck raised, but he pretended to be preoccupied with studying the stars outside the port side windows.

Not waiting for recognition of his presence, the Commander said tersely, "Gear up, lieutenant. We hit planet side in an hour."

Paling, Kaiden couldn't help his knee-jerk reaction of whipping his head around to look at the man as he spluttered, "But I thought… weren't you taking Tali and Ashley?"

Catching the smaller man's gaze and confidently holding it, Shepard explained in a light tone, "Nah. I feel like a smaller assembly is in order. Just you and me, lieutenant."

Without another word, the Commander was gone just as quickly as he appeared.

Not having caught the tension between the two, attention consumed by the control panel before him, the Joker waved, "Boy do I envy you two. Another mineral excavation at some distant backward planet in the toilet end of the galaxy. Have fun."

Throat dry, the lieutenant cleared it before he could reply, "Yeah…"

Joker watched the other leave, shaking his head slowly, "Those L2 implants must be messing with him more than usual."

-o-o-o-

Kaiden desperately wished for some enemies to materialize before the Mako, wanted anything to fill the silence within the small terrain vehicle's hold. He sat rigid in the chair, piloting the tank-like Mako with extreme precision as he attempted to ignore the purple gaze that threatened to burn a hole straight through the side of his head.

From the passenger seat, the Commander, arms crossed over his chest, finally spoke up, "So."

Eyeing him with a brief, sidelong glance, Kaiden echoed in confusion, "…So…?"

A stretch of silence fell between them once more. Honestly, the lieutenant would have preferred gouging his own eyes out with a fork than this torture. Before he could even attempt anything of the sort, Shepard continued, "Anything you feel like telling me, lieutenant?"

The raven-haired man paused, pretending to muse for a few moments before forcing out a calm, "… Nah. Nothing I can think of, Commander."

Shepard merely grunted in acknowledgement, leading the lieutenant into the false hopes that nothing more would be said. Of course, the Commander did not have the reputation of relentlessly pursuing any mission he took until completion for no reason, "What about those dreams of yours?"

Horror clutched at Kaiden's heart, and he desperately tried remembering how to breathe. The thought of his Commander's hands. His voice. Those lips. All the moaning… Clearing his throat, the raven-haired man desperately tried to douse the heat stirring between his legs by thoughts of desecrated husks. Eyes trained on the unmarked road ahead, the lieutenant remarked lightly, "Oh. Ah, those are long gone. Hope I haven't worried you, Commander."

"Of course not…" The Commander replied, not sounding convinced at all.

A knot of worry made itself at home at the pit of Kaiden's stomach.

-o-o-o-

The thought that the Commander would just not let the subject drop that easily was confirmed later the next day as Kaiden received a note in his morning's log:

Go see the Doctor.

The fact that the man would use his authority to force Kaiden to seek medical help when the lieutenant was perfectly fine irked him to no end. Armed in his resolve to demand the request be taken back, the lieutenant headed straight for the Commander's quarters. Knocking on the door, he heard a gruff 'come in' before the door beeped and opened.

Striding into the room like a man on a mission, the raven-haired man stopped and opened his mouth to speak only to have his jaw hang slack instead.

The Commander, apparently, hadn't even gotten out of bed yet. The blankets were tossed and strewn about, barely covering Shepard's manhood and half his muscled form. The glimpses of naked skin burned into Kaiden's memory even as he took in the Commander's nonchalant pose. Bent arm hooked over one propped up knee, the other leg flat on the bed, Shepard blinked the sleep slowly out of his eyes as he looked up at the shocked lieutenant.

Unsurprisingly, Kaiden found his throat dry once more. His dreams were no where near the real thing up close. Those perfectly chiseled abs. Those thick thighs. The unsuppressed power emanating from the man even when he was barely awake and not even doing anything.

When his brown gaze finally lifted to the finally awake, and amused, purple orbs, Kaiden could have just died on the spot. He opened his mouth once more, only to shut it again as nothing would come out.

"You were saying…?" Shepard inquired, eye brow cocked in his continued amusement.

"I…" The lieutenant backed slowly to the door, "forgot, I have a… medical appointment I need to be going to."

The Commander didn't think he'd ever seen Kaiden retreat so fast in his life. When his room was empty once more, he let out a small chuckle. Well, this was an interesting discovery…

-o-o-o-

The Commander was angry.

No, angry was not even close to describing it.

Commander Shepard was pissed the hell off.

As he stormed out of the ship, not sure where they were docked and for once, not even caring, the blonde-haired man couldn't help the message repeating itself over and over again in his head.

'It has been indescribable being under your command and in your team. I can never thank you enough. However, there are some… issues that I need to deal with right now. Please understand. Consider this my resignation. No hard feelings. And hopefully, our paths will cross again in the future. ~ Lieutenant'

He didn't know where the raven-haired man had gone. Didn't even know what time he left.

All Shepard knew was that he would find him.

And he would make him sorry.

-o-o-o-

Kaiden shuffled along the road, the only belongings he had fit in the single backpack he wore outside of his armor. He even had a few credits tucked away. He knew the crew probably wouldn't be too pleased with him when they woke. He didn't even know how the Commander would feel. He just hoped they would understand.

Just as he was wondering to himself where he would go, he heard a gravelly voice he could pin down anywhere bark out loud, "Lieutenant!"

Eyes widening, the slender man whipped his head behind him as if he had been slapped. He could see the muscular form of an angry, blonde-headed man heading his way. How did he even recognize him from this far away?!

"Shit." Kaiden cursed under his breath.

Before he could even think, he realized he was pelting his way out of the streets and weaving into alleyways. Wondering why he was running as if he was an escaped convict, the lieutenant found his hurried pace quickened when a more pissed off bellow followed, "Lieutenant!!"

He had thought he would have at least a good day's worth of time to get as far away as he could. Too bad he didn't think to remember the Commander's odd hours. He didn't even realize the man would take it as far as to chase after him.

After a while of running, the Lieutenant risked a glance over his shoulders. Relief started to flood into him as he realized the streets behind him were empty. But then there was that voice again. And it was closer than he thought possible.

"Kaiden."

The raven-haired man stumbled, looking forward once more. The Commander was there, standing at the opening of the alley, his expression one of un-reigned fury. Skidding to a stop, the lieutenant barely managed to not topple over when he was a few feet before Shepard.

"Co…mander…" Kaiden said slowly, eyeing the man before him warily.

Brown eyes darting around for an escape route, the Commander was, as always, a step ahead. His shotgun cocked as he growled, "You so much as wiggle your toe, Alenko, and I will fuckin' blow it off before dragging you back to the ship so the good Doctor could patch you back together."

"That… would be… unnecessary." The lieutenant said slowly, in hopes of calming the quivering mass of angry brawn down. He hoped the touch of sarcasm he placed in there didn't spell his own doom.

Before anything else could be said, Shepard covered the distance between them in two strides, shotgun hanging loosely at his side as he grabbed the front of Kaiden's armor, "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I left it all in the message-" The raven-haired man started to explain, but Shepard cut him off by slamming him back into the wall, gun clattering, forgotten, on the ground beside them.

"The HELL you did." The Commander growled, heat stringing angrily through his words, purple eyes accusing as they drilled into widened brown orbs.

For the next few moments, the only sounds were their ragged breathing, both combating for the upper position through sheer willpower and their glares alone.

"Explain." The Commander vocalized through gritted teeth.

Pinned against the wall, the only movement the raven-haired man could make was tilting his head back to lock eyes with the furious Commander before him.

"I… can't…" Alenko felt his throat close up, his voice almost cracking.

"I think I, of all people, deserve an explanation." Shepard growled, his fist tightening around the front of the armor it had latched onto.

"Can't… fraternize…" The lieutenant tore his eyes away, not wanting to see the hate. The disgust.

"What? That's what this is all about? Because you can't think of anything else but screwing Ashley?" The Commander ranted.

Alenko shook his head.

"The scientist's daughter?" Shepard's frown deepened.

But the lieutenant simply shook his head again.

The Commander looked thoroughly confused, "Tali…?"

Kaiden squeezed his eyes shut before forcing his chin up so he could lock eyes with those furious violet. His mouth barely formed the words, "No… with…. YOU…"

That took the fight swiftly out of the muscled man before him. Not looking as if he could breathe, the Commander took a step back, releasing his hold on the lieutenant. Alenko hung his head, shame filling his every fiber. Great. He had managed to disgust the one man that he ever admired in his life. The wall behind him being the only thing that kept him standing, the lieutenant looked back up at Shepard. Trying to read the man's stoic expression was like trying to decipher the emotions of a boulder.

Alenko opened his mouth to apologize, only to find it hindered by the lips of another.

The lieutenant gasped as strong hands hooked around him, one slipping behind his waist and the other behind his head, pulling him towards the warm and strong body of the Commander. His slender body had no hope against the much stronger form of the hungry man before him, jaws working easily to deepen the kiss as a warm tongue ran along Kaiden's lips.

A moan escaped unexpectedly from Kaiden's assaulted mouth as Shepard's hand slipped lower around the lieutenant's hips, grinding their clothed erections together in a relentless rhythm. The lieutenant arched back, his lips moving back only a couple inches due to the fingers still encasing the back of his skull.

"Is that all…?" The Commander questioned breathlessly, half-lidded eyes observing Alenko's own.

"Commander…" Kaiden blinked, surprise filling his voice as he replied, "I didn't think-"

Shepard interrupted Alenko by rubbing his muscled thigh between the lieutenant's legs, causing a throaty moan from the slender man trapped between the Commander's muscled form and the wall.

"Tell me…" Shepard demanded, taking his time to taste the lieutenant's neck, "… what did you dream about, Alenko?"

Breathless, the lieutenant gulped air before he managed to a reply. Eyes refocusing, he looked into Shepard's smirking gaze. This was real. The Commander really did want him. Didn't hate him. He. WANTED. Him.

"I dreamed… of you… fucking me." Lieutenant Alenko finally said, adding with a slight smirk of his own, "Commander."

"Well, Lieutenant…" Shepard said, dragging the other closer to him, "let's see what we can do about that…"


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or attempt to make profit from it.

A/N: this should have the eye candy some are looking for.

-o-o-o-

It had took all of Kaiden's strength, but he pulled away from the blonde, "We… can't, Commander."

"Don't give me that bull." Shepard frowned once he got over the initial shock, "You want this. We both know that."

"Not enough to put your whole career on the line, sir." Kaiden shot back, sagging against the wall.

The Commander, with a huge feat of patience, crossed his arms and just stood there. He seemed to be mulling over what his lieutenant had just said.

Looking silently over the raven-haired man, purple eyes finally locked onto brown as the Commander growled softly, "To hell with rules. With regulations. I don't give a shit about 'em."

"But I DO." Alenko replied, pushing himself off the wall as he hardened his gaze.

A silence fell in between them.

Far down the alley, they heard a stray cat hiss and dart away. Laughter.

The lieutenant could see the broad muscles on the bigger man were tense. Almost as if Shepard was barely holding himself back from doing something. On the edge, Alenko felt his slimmer, athletic body go on the defensive.

"Fine."

The Commander's answer threw Alenko off so much that he almost stumbled into the wall in his surprise. But Shepard wasn't laughing. In fact, his gaze seemed stern. Determined.

"If you care so much about these regulations of yours, maybe you should stick around to make sure I stay in line." That said, the Commander hoisted the shotgun over his shoulder and started walking away.

Lieutenant Alenko bristled at the nerve of the man. Did he really think Kaiden was going to turn around, just like that, and follow him back to the Normandy? The Commander should know him better than that.

Besides, he's known the blonde-haired man for many seasons now. He may be tough in mannerisms and exterior, but he would never really cross the line.

Would he…?

Watching the bigger man walking farther away down the alley, Kaiden couldn't help sighing in defeat, his shoulders sagging slightly.

"Damn you, Shepard…" He muttered beneath his breath, lingering in place for a moment in defiance, before taking the first step forward.

The Commander really DID know him better.

-o-o-o-

The lieutenant slouched against the rail at the ship's bridge, trying in earnest not to sulk. He had tried to get away from the problem and now… now it seemed like he was chained right to it.

For once, the Joker didn't really have anything to say. He was doing some sort of checkup on the Normandy's systems.

"You know… you're kinda creepin' me out with the whole… silent 'I will kill everyone' Alenko vibe, you know?" The pilot finally said after a while.

Kaiden snorted, "What?"

"Hey, dude. We all know it's totally possible. What with you and the whole, L2 implants that could drive you up the wall at any time?" The Joker tossed the raven-haired man a look over his shoulder, shrugging, "I'm just sayin'…"

This time Alenko let out a full out burst of laughter. Joker could be a big douche bag sometimes, but he definitely knew how to cheer someone up.

"Look, Mr. Psycho-Killer, I gotta go take a leak. Watch the Normandy for me?" The pilot said, carefully getting up as he pulled out the crutches he always kept tucked and hidden by his seat.

"Sure, I'll make sure to dent her up real pretty for you." Kaiden retorted, not even attempting to offer assistance. He knew Joker. The guy would be more likely to piss in his own cup and drink it before he'd voluntarily allow Alenko to help him; especially when he's perfectly capable of doing it himself.

"Just try." Joker said snidely as he hobbled slowly out of the bridge, "You'll wake up the next day with a few 'dents' of your own…"

Kaiden snorted once more before sliding into the pilot's seat. Normally, he sat on the right side, where he would keep the pilot company while checking over the stats and logs. But he had always suspected the sarcastic pilot's seat would be more comfortable. And… he was right. Man, even if Joker didn't have that leg problem, Alenko could definitely see why no one would ever want to get up from this chair.

"I see you haven't been back for more than a few hours and already you're enjoying the finer qualities of the Normandy."

Alenko froze, fighting with the desire to jump out of the chair and run from the bridge. But the booted steps stopping right behind his chair put a halt to that notion. Since physical retreat was temporarily suspended, he rested back on good old fashion dry humor.

"Yeah, you know, getting dragged back at gunpoint kinda has that strange effect on people." The lieutenant grated, eyes focused on the vid screen before him.

"As I recall…" The Commander trailed off slowly. Alenko couldn't help stiffening as silence descended on the hold, Shepard's words fermenting in the air between them. Before he could, I dunno, go INSANE, the Commander finally moved.

Stepping beside the chair as he pivoted to lean back casually against the console, Shepard crossed his arms over his broad chest while he shot an amused smirk towards Alenko. As if the lieutenant hadn't been waiting in agonizing silence, John continued where he left off, "My shotgun wasn't pointed at anyone. And you… came willingly."

The last of the Commander's words took a deeper baritone, the suggestive meaning to it sending an involuntary shiver down Alenko's spine.

Kaiden couldn't help the frown that tugged at one side of his mouth. Tearing his eyes away from the console, he swiveled the chair halfway to face the man, glaring at the blonde long enough to inquire sarcastically, "Is that how they're describing blackmail now?"

Unphased, the bigger man laughed. Leaning forward, he swiveled the chair the rest of the way, much to the protest of the seat's occupant. Placing his big hands on either armrests of the chair, Shepard trapped the slender man within it as he leaned closer, "Admit it lieutenant, you came because you wanted to."

Alenko sunk back as far as the chair would allow; which, dishearteningly enough, only gave the raven-haired man a couple inches in distance. His brown eyes glared into smug purple as he replied quietly, his words simmering with underlying heat at having to say it aloud, "I came… because I care."

The Commander let silence fall between them, eyes studying the lieutenant's own. Kaiden couldn't help but squirm. It was as if Shepard was searching for something…

But that didn't help Alenko's growing discomfort at their close physical proximity. Especially considering that what happened in the alley hadn't been so long ago. The lieutenant still remembered the way the Commander's mouth had branded his own. The urgent caresses and tugs. The unrestrained grinding.

With shock, Alenko realized heat was beginning to pool between his legs. The Commander was leaning further in, their faces so close the lieutenant could feel his own, quickened breath rebounding off Shepard's strong jaw. Unconsciously, Kaiden's grip on the armrests tightened considerably. He felt as though he were drowning in Shepard's gaze.

When there was barely a millimeter between them, the Commander finally stopped. A smirk tilted his mouth when he realized the lieutenant's gaze seemed mesmerized.

"That's what I thought…" Shepard's voice was barely above a whisper, the very sound of it sending a deep shiver down Kaiden's spine.

As abruptly as the Commander had come, Alenko found the man's heat and presence gone a moment later, much to his disappointment. Clearing his throat, the lieutenant straightened in his seat, looking around.

How that man managed to dishevel the lieutenant to his very core just by… BEING there was a complete mystery to Alenko. He was straightening his uniform and running a hand through his hair when Joker appeared.

"Well, that's strange." The pilot commented.

"What?" Kaiden asked, a little distracted from the moments before.

"Something's made the Commander's day. He has a grin on bigger than the Cheshire cat's."

Abandoning the comfortable seat, Kaiden shot a heated glance down the hall, "Whatever could have done that…"

-o-o-o-

Alenko didn't know if he was being paranoid or not, but it seemed that the Commander was always a breath away. A step behind or ahead.

It was hard for the lieutenant to concentrate.

Once, he was even tinkering with the computers, chatting with Ashley when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise. Last time he had checked, they were alone. But when he glanced sideways towards the door, he saw the Commander watching silently in its frame. Immediately, Alenko's back stiffened of its own accord and he dropped a small tool he had been holding.

Kaiden, ever the steady hand, kept botching the project with stupid mistakes. Once even forgetting how to spell his own name when the computer requested it.

Ashley just laughed at him.

Kaiden was too distracted to finish with the Commander standing there, and Shepard knew it. Finally, after a few more fumbles and curses from the lieutenant, the blonde walked off.

And not a moment too soon. The lieutenant caught the fragile bulb before it could shatter on the ground, the Commander's parting smirk fresh in his memory.

-o-o-o-

In the mess hall, the lieutenant was just leaving to go to his quarters and check up the schematics on one of his little projects, when he stopped with a silent curse.

He had left his ready-made cup of coffee on the counter.

Pivoting on his feet, he took about half a step before he came to a screeching halt. Had he finished that other half, he would have collided against one tightly-outfitted, muscled chest. Not to mention he would've had steaming coffee replacing the shower he took earlier.

One large hand steadied Alenko by the elbow, saving the lieutenant from a rather ungraceful meeting with the floor.

"Thanks," The lieutenant said with relief and partial embarrassment, though when his eyes trailed up to meet those purple orbs, his smile sort of froze on his face.

Placing the cup into Alenko's stiff hands, the Commander brushed his knuckles unnecessarily against the back of them. With a tilted smirk, Shepard commented lightly, "Don't mention it."

The lieutenant was left barely standing as he watched the muscled man walk away, desperately wishing their regulation clothing hadn't been quite so skin-tight. He couldn't tear his eyes away until the Commander was out of sight.

It was only after Shepard had turned the corner that Kaiden let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

-o-o-o-

After a few days of being cooped up in the Normandy, Alenko finally made his way to the ship's gym. He needed to expel some pent up energy.

After a few dozen laps around the course, Kaiden hit the punching bags hard, imagining a certain blonde's face. Why did the man have to be so difficult? Didn't he see Alenko had the Commander's best interest in hand?

Mopping up the sweat with his towel, Alenko finally called it quits after a few more grueling hours. Time to hit the showers.

-o-o-o-

The bar of soap slipped from Alenko's hands.

He had frozen when he heard the other man enter the locker room, praying he wouldn't know the lieutenant was there.

The bigger man was about to waltz right past without a second thought, when that bar hit the floor with a muted 'thud'.

A muttered curse slipped through Alenko's lips before he could stop himself. With growing horror and panic, he slowly brought his gaze up from the damned soap on the tiled floor.

With only a towel wrapped around his waist, the Commander halted in front of Kaiden's stall, eyebrow raised.

"Commander," Alenko said quickly, trying to duck past the other, gorgeously half-naked man.

But Shepard immediately seized the opportunity, arms bracing against either side of the stall, penning the raven-haired man in. Alenko had no choice but to halt his steps, about to collide with the muscled torso of the stronger man before him.

"Lieutenant…" The Commander growled, eyes tracing over Kaiden's bare form.

When the other still refused to move, Alenko cleared his throat nervously, "I should… get going now…"

But Shepard merely stepped forward, closing the distance between them as he said, "Nonsense, lieutenant. You still have some soap there…"

Alenko couldn't help backing up as the bigger man advanced, Shepard's features verging on predatory. Kaiden was back in the shower's spray, but didn't stop until his back was pressed against the cold tiles. This, of course, did not halt the Commander's steps. The lieutenant couldn't help as his brown gaze traced the first few droplets trailing down the Commander's naked torso.

"C-commander…" Alenko's voice was lowered considerably, his tone attempting one of warning.

Shepard smirked, "Lieutenant…"

The Commander was so close Kaiden could feel his body heat intermingling with his own. He suddenly found he had difficulty breathing. Confidence was just coming off of Shepard in streams, that very fact making a strange knot tighten within Alenko's gut.

"I wonder, did any of your dreams include this…?" The Commander asked aloud.

If the man only knew…

The lieutenant swallowed heavily, "…No…"

Shepard's grin only grew wider, "Quit the act, lieutenant. Lying doesn't suit you."

Before Kaiden could say otherwise, he suddenly found the Commander's body pressed up against his own. The lieutenant's breath hitched. Naked torso against his own skin made delicious contact. The drenched towel still wrapped around the Commander's waist had wonderful friction against Alenko's wet cock, much to the dismay of Kaiden's muted mind.

Alenko managed to cry out once as a hand wrapped around his stiffened organ, but the sound was stifled as a searing mouth plundered his own.

The towel slipped from the Commander's hips, and the lieutenant couldn't help the moan the spilled forth as he felt Shepard's length rubbing against his inner thigh. His hands were pressed flat against the wall behind him as Shepard continued fisting his cock, drawing strained gasps from the slender man.

Shepard smirked as Kaiden's hands grasped for a handhold, his heated body a quivering bundle of muscles before him. The Commander couldn't help it as his rod fully lengthened, the tip dripping just at the sight of his lieutenant moaning. Biting and nipping down Kaiden's neck and collarbone, Shepard inserted a finger into Alenko's inviting entrance.

Crying out, Alenko arched back against the wall, the Commander's talented finger finding his sweet spot with the first try. He grabbed Shepard's shoulders, trying desperately to keep his own two feet beneath him. Mouth currently on the crook of his neck, Alenko could feel the blonde smiling wider.

"Commander…" Alenko said shakily as Shepard continued repeatedly hitting the spot, the other large hand pressing their hips together so their naked erections could grind against one another, "…shit…"

Without warning, Shepard pulled his fingers out –wait, since when were there more than one digit- as he wrapped both arms around Alenko's waist. The lieutenant gasped as he was bodily lifted from the ground, his back still pressed against the wet walls. Kaiden always knew the other was stronger than him, but he hadn't realized he was THAT strong.

Brown eyes opened to look over at smug purple, as they easily read the admiration at the Commander's incredible physical prowess. Then suddenly Alenko was distracted as he felt the tip of Shepard's head pressing against his entrance.

The lieutenant's loud moan escaped simultaneously as the Commander groaned, burying himself to the hilt in Alenko's ass in one surge.

"Fuck…" The Commander groaned. His lieutenant was so tight…

"This isn't ri…" Kaiden gasped desperately, his head lolling forward into the crook of the Commander's neck, "We shouldn't…"

"Care…" Shepard lifted the other man slightly, grunting, "… to finish your sentence, lieutenant?"

Alenko was fighting a losing battle. His senses were being overloaded with pleasure. Never in his dreams did he believe it could ever be this… good.

Trying to drag himself above the physical turmoil wracking his body, Alenko struggled to make eye contact with the Commander, starting to say, "I-"

But at that moment, Shepard slammed his lieutenant's hips back down, plunging himself back into Kaiden's depths.

The lieutenant interrupted himself with a choked, "…_fuck_…" as his vision spotted brightly with stars, the Commander's engorged cock hitting the pleasurable bundle of nerves within him.

"We can always stop, lieutenant…" Shepard commented, lifting Alenko a little higher and mostly off of his pulsing shaft.

Kaiden moaned desperately at that, though he wasn't quite sure why.

"What do you want, Alenko?" The Commander asked, driving into the slender man once more.

Kaiden's spine straightened as Shepard hit the same spot, his body tensing as he let out a pleasured cry.

Shepard lifted the raven-haired man once more, spearing into his depths with a tight moan as he demanded, "Tell me, lieutenant."

Alenko's toes curled at the physical, pleasure-filled torture, his head throwing itself back against the tiled wall. His fingers dug into the Commander's broad back as he tried to ground himself with reality. It was very difficult, however, considering he was suspended in the air; the only contact being the firm, heated muscle before him and the cool, wet wall behind.

"…shit…" Alenko moaned as the Commander sheathed his heated cock inside him once more, shooting pleasure along the lieutenant's very nerves. He didn't know when, but somehow his legs had grown a mind of their own and hooked around the Commander's waist, allowing fuller and deeper penetration.

Shepard brought his lips close to Alenko's ear, that smirk very tangible in his voice since the lieutenant's eyes were wrenched shut, "Something tells me you don't wanna stop…"

Eyes snapping open, the lieutenant suddenly found himself grabbing the blonde's head and pulling him towards Alenko for a mind-blowing kiss. Shepard almost lost his grip on the lieutenant's slender hips, he was so taken off-guard. Alenko's lips traced the Commander's lips, teeth, and tongue; battling with Shepard for domination.

When Kaiden finally pulled back for air, he looked Shepard dead in the eye, "Commander, just FUCK me already."

The blonde's eyebrows raised at that. He didn't realize the man would be so easy to convince.

Kaiden leaned back in to nip at the Commander's bottom lip, gaze fiercely staring into those purple orbs as he added, "Hard."

The smirk returned full force as Shepard rumbled, "Gladly…"

Soon, he was pounding in that ass like there was no tomorrow. Kaiden had to dig his fingers into those broad shoulders just so he could keep himself anchored. He shoved his hips downwards with the same amount of force as the Commander was plunging upwards. The shocks of pleasure jolted through his body with such repetition and energy that he almost began to feel numb.

Desiring some sort of release, Kaiden reached down to wrap one hand around his cock. But the Commander growled fiercely at that, swatting away the hand with his own. Alenko didn't know how, but Shepard kept the lieutenant aloft with just one arm around his waist. Kaiden couldn't put much more thought on that, however, since the Commander's fingers immediately wrapped around the lieutenant's heated and coiled cock.

The moment the Commander began pumping his shaft, Kaiden could feel himself unraveling. Breath coming out in ragged gasps, moans filling every other moment he had, the lieutenant couldn't keep his eyes focused.

He could feel the energy inside him winding tighter and tighter in his loins. Those fingers did delicious and wonderful things to his shaft as that hot cock did inside his body.

"Commander… ngh…" Kaiden moaned listlessly, feeling his release coming close.

Shepard sucked the lieutenant's lip, pushing Alenko more against the wall as he shoved up with greater force. In contradiction to his hard, demanding actions, his voice was barely above a whisper as he growled, "Don't hold back, lieutenant. Cum for me…"

Alenko's eyes snapped open briefly to take in this man before him. Those hungry purple eyes. That rock-hard body. Those talented fingers and lips. Even being fucked senseless in the shower, right then, seemed too good to be true. Every fiber of his being focused on the Commander's touch. Their heaving chests. The feel of Shepard's muscles rippling with each thrust as Alenko's hands dug into the Commander's back. Those skilled fingers pumping his cock hard and fast, the thumb running over his slick slit every so often.

The lieutenant shuddered and felt his toes curl. He breathed with a hiss, "…fuck…" For a brief moment, he could feel every inch of Shepard's cock thrusting deep inside, hitting his exact spot as it had every other time. Unable to help it, Alenko's eyes squeezed shut and he felt his whole body go taut.

"Commander!" Alenko's groan of pure pleasure was the only warning Shepard received.

Then the lieutenant's cum was spurting out in bursts, decorating their chests with his huge load. Alenko felt immobilized as waves of pleasure rocked throughout his body, his entrance squeezing tightly against the Commander's cock even as his own gushed his release.

The Commander himself couldn't hold out much longer.

Thrusting with everything he had into the slender man, hand still milking that slick cock for all it was worth, Shepard grunted loudly as he came, "Lieutenant…"

Alenko gasped as he felt the Commander's throbbing cock in him, filling him with Shepards own load. He moaned slightly as Shepard's fingers still danced on his cock, the shaft twitching slightly as it gave out one last spurt. The lieutenant had never felt such bliss. Such… euphoria.

He watched as the muscled man before him released his last bit of cum, pleasure contorting the Commander's features. A long, hard groan slipped past those lips before he could feel Shepard's muscles relax and those purple eyes finally open. The first thing they latched onto was Alenko's, and the lieutenant couldn't help but smile at that.

The Commander gave him an odd look, "You don't think you're still dreaming… do you?"

Alenko shook his head slowly, drawing their heads close enough that their lips almost touched. His breath was whispered, his lips brushing oh-so-slightly against the Commander's own, "No…"

That said, he continued to kiss the man like there was no tomorrow.

It was true, after all.

The man really did know him.


End file.
